Editor:

I believe maintaining a gun-free zone on school campuses and providing reasonable restrictions in the use of cellphones in the classroom are necessary for a safe educational environment. (Both will be difficult to enforce.)

I read two interesting articles from Cowboy State Daily. The first, allowing guns on school campuses entitled “Bill would allow concealed carry in Wyoming schools with enhanced permit;” this article describes the background of a bill introduced by Sen. Ed Cooper, R-Ten Sleep.

The second is the article proposing a bill to ban cellphones in classrooms entitled “Legislator Wants to Ban Cellphones in Wyoming Classrooms,” a bill supported by Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston.

Both deal with bans; one is a state senate bill to eliminate gun-free zones for schools and allow conceal-carry on school campuses. The other is a state senate bill to place a ban on the student’s use of cellphone in the classroom.

This discussion begins with Cooper recounting his constituent’s heartfelt fear for his children’s safety and wanting not to be restricted in protecting his young son as he delivers him to and from school.

If the constituent’s belief that the campus is potentially unsafe for the life of his child, then how could he rationalize leaving that child at school?

The reality is: most of the gun violence perpetrated to and by children has not been during the drop-off and pickup times but during the activities between them. So, is the parent going to shadow his child throughout the day?

Now let us envision all parents to exercise their gun rights in a similar manner. I believe the result of having parents conceal-carry will most likely be disruptive — not only in the learning environment, but it will also undermine their safety. (People may not be able to ascertain a righteous drawing of a weapon, thus if in doubt, it will be assumed the action is meant to do harm.)

There is no need for firearms on school campuses (other than what is currently allowed for) when the actual danger is extremely low. The second article suggests banning cellphones from the classroom based on their being disruptive to the child and classroom learning process.

As a former educator, I understand the argument and the teachers’ frustration. While children should not carry guns, banning cellphones would hamper rapid information gathering during the incident of an active shooter.

Students’ access to cellphones allows them to play an active role in their defense by transmitting timely and critical information concerning situational status (i.e., identifying assailant and/or victims).

They may also provide essential information to first responders that allow the possibility of resolving the issue with minimal loss of life. Thus, cellphone availability is necessary. How one restricts its use and yet maintains availability will be the challenge.

Schools will always be soft targets given the centralized educational system and the insider threat by students and staff.

Two practical solutions: one is to homeschool children, and the second is to decentralize our schools into more locations with smaller numbers of students (potential targets). Both possibilities would mean new strategic planning and dedicated resources not likely in Wyoming’s economic future.

The best we can do is make good choices in the school’s operation that optimize our children’s safety and learning environment.

David Slaughter

Evanston